By Liz Lyon
On September 19, 2021, Gwenyn Hill Farm CSA members and their families gathered at the farm for our annual Fall Frolic celebration. The weather was hot and sunny: perfect for one last summer hurrah before we head into autumn and the last few weeks of our CSA season. Alexis and Braden grilled up burgers with fixings fresh from the fields, and guests pitched in with potluck dishes ranging from caprese skewers to wild rice salad to pumpkin bread.
The Fall Frolic event gives our CSA members a chance to get to know one another and our farm crew. Members also get to explore areas of the farm they don’t typically see when picking up their produce. While some folks ate and mingled at picnic tables, accompanied by the delightful music of Roxie Beane, others took a horse-drawn wagon tour of the farm.
Throughout the tour, Linda, Ryan, and Gwenyn Hill’s resident draft horses worked together to provide beautiful views and a wealth of behind-the-scenes information about the farm. CSA members, who usually only get to visit the barn and the U-Pick veggie and flower fields, experienced a more comprehensive picture of the farm. First, Linda covered the fascinating history of the farm. Tour-goers also learned about our prairie plantings, wooded areas, pastures (complete with grazing dairy cows!), and organic dried grain and bean crops.
Just as the acronym CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) implies, this program isn’t possible without the support of our wonderful community of members. We appreciate the opportunity to provide local families with fresh fruits and veggies all summer long and we love spending time with, and getting to know, our members whenever we have the chance. The annual Fall Frolic is our way of bidding farewell to summer and saying a hearty “thank you” to each and every one of our members.
**To learn more about our CSA program, visit our website.**
Liz Lyon likes to come up with new recipe ideas for how to best use our weekly produce.